Peckish

I don't care to belong to groups that require me to do a certain amount of work for charity. Takes all the fun out of giving if it becomes a requirement. I make a few tops a year for charity and give them to a nurse friend of mine who is devoted to giving and serving. She has 2 longarms (one machine-guided, one hand-guided) and quilts as many as 30 quilts a month. They go to various organizations such as Project Linus, Passage Quilts, veterans groups, and other local charities, depending on what kind of quilt it is and how badly it is needed. Some of them are auctioned off to purchase batting and thread for more charity quilts. I've been able to read quite a few thank-you notes and letters written by family members who were involved in the Passage Quilts program, and let me tell you, if you read a couple, you would DEFINITELY be motivated to make a quilt or two for charity. People are so touched and comforted by those quilts.

AshleyR

I'm making a quilt that will be auctioned or raffled off. This is a new experience for me. At first, I was honored for being asked, but as I keep working on it, it's looking less like a home-made quilt and more like a comforter/Chinese $25 quilt. And I don't like it. When I was asked, it was for a benefit for a baby who needed a heart transplant, and the poor little guy passed away, but they are continuing with the fund-raiser in his memory. I would much rather donate the quilt to his family in his memory, than have it raffled off in his memory. Oh well. I'm very sorry for the family and I hope this helps. I hope I didn't sound ugly about it!

Pat625

I have never heard of Passage Quilts..Can you explain what type organization they are?

nycquilter

Each year, as one of my New Year's resolutions, I set an amount of square inches that I want to achieve in charity quilts. This is my third year with this resolution. My first goal was 12,000 sq. inches. Second year was 15,000 and this year it was 20,000. I have already made more than 24,000 this year--I was off for the summer!! And, I do not count overages for next year as that would defeat my purpose. The reason for setting an inch requirement is that I am not limited to one size. If I set # of quilts, say 20, I could get away with 20 small quilts. So, instead, I make all size quilts, from double bed to baby. I typically donate to my local Project Linus because they donate to various recipients--not just babies. They include the local hospitals who treat rape victims, babies, children, shelters, and so on. I also love that my quilts stay within my community as it is an economically deprived area in some parts (Sullivan County, NY). I have a huge stash so I pull the quilts from there. The fabrics are all LQS quality as I was taught to give what I would want to receive. Luckily, I can do that with these fabrics. If I didn't use up my stash (which likely will not occur in my lifetime if I live to be 175), what good would it be? I fully believe that I must give back to honor what I was given in this life.

Laurie

Just Me...

I am a Shameful Person as well. If I am a member of a group, I will quilt (an overall-not custom) for free. I used to do some Quilts of Valor as my son was in the military. A bad experience with that group (QOV) has me not making quilts for them anymore. We had two quilts returned because they were an inch to two inches smaller than their requirements. As I have the two longarms, I don't have a problem offering to quilt for free, but I rarely have time to piece for myself much less put myself in a position where I push myself to make a deadline and give myself less than 'charitable' feelings as I scramble to get them done....

Daylesewblessed

Quilting for charity is 90% of the quilting that I do, and I love it! I make quilts for Project Linus and am on the committee for our guild's charity quilts. I also do tops for Lutheran World Relief. My biggest project is making quilts (about 3/year) for the Bible Camp quilt auction in my home town. I am challenged to do my best work for that. The other quilts are put together quickly.

It is all very rewarding!

janceejan

I quilt chairty quilts for Quilts Beyond Borders, a non-profit for children in underserved parts of the world. Recently they have given over 300 quilts to Haiti, Romania, and parts of Russia. I have done 6 tops for them this year and two completed quilts for babies. I enjoy trying new ideas and working on my FMQ, they are always appreciated. Most of the material comes from sales or Goodwill. I find it very rewarding. I have no grandbabies yet, and this fills my nesting urge to make with no recipients!!!
http://quiltsbeyondborders.wordpress.com/about/

GailG

I suppose by "charity quilts" you mean quilts given to organizations or causes. I've done only one of those, but I've done quilts to be raffled at community benefits. I've also made two quilts for a little boy who traveled often to St. Jude in Memphis for treatments and checkups. Also made a quilt for a single mom who delivered a precious baby girl during a hurricane. Just keeping my grandchildren and great grandchildren in quilts "that fit" is job enough Right now I'm still trying to get that graduation quilt done and last night tried to finish a baby quilt for our brand new great grandson Max. He's coming home today. Just last border and binding left on that one. I commend all of you who do so many charity quilts. There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to spread myself so thinly. I say "good job" to you. Keep up the good work.

AlienQuilter

Only you truly know your limits. Don't get stressed by someone elses idea of what you should be doing.

Before we could afford for me to stay home with the boys people at work were always trying to get me involved with something that would use up a lot of my free time. I consistently told them that any free time I had was for family time since I worked and DH worked and the kids had to be in day care all day Monday - Friday. I refused to be bullied into it.

After I stayed home with the kids and they got bigger, I had more free time and did a lot of volunteering while they were in school.

And I have helped make pillowcases and quilts for good causes. But I chose when and how.

I have learned the hard way not to write a check. Did that a few years ago to help hurricane victims. It was a one time donation - DH gives regularly through his paycheck. Because I wrote a check they had our personal information and sent us a monthly bill disguised as a request for money. Now I either give cash or money orders. Lesson learned.

happyquiltmom

Our guild makes a quilt that we raffle (every two years) and donate the money to a local women & children's shelter. We also make a quilt for a homemakers' group that they raffle (every year) and donate the money to charity.
Several of the gals make Quilts of Valor. I made a top once that another gal machine quilted.
Recently, we have taken over a project that supplies blankets/quilts and other personal items to children who are rescued from meth homes. I made a baby quilt last month for that.
I don't have alot of time to sew, as I have 2 part-time jobs, or I would probably do much more charity sewing.